DUI Law in Colorado

What is ‘legally drunk’ in Colorado?

For drivers under the age of 21 years they are considered to be legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is more than .02, for non-commercial drivers above 21 years they are legally drunk when their blood alcohol level is more than .08. However, commercial vehicle drivers are considered to be legally drunk if their blood alcohol level is more than .04, school bus drivers are considered to be commercial drivers in Colorado.

Colorado Drunk Driving Penalties

In Colorado, first time DUI offenders face a prison sentence of five days to one year in a county jail. They must also perform 48 to 96 hours of public service work and pay a fine of $300 to $1,000. Generally, the license of a first time offender will be revoked for a period of 90 days. However, the offender can request that the license be revoked for at least one month, followed by a suspension period, so that the total suspension and revocation period adds up to 6 months. Furthermore, if the offenders’ blood alcohol level was .17 or more, the offender is required to use an ignition interlock device on any car he/she uses for a period of one year.

Regardless of the date of the first offence, second time offenders face a prison sentence of 3 months to one year in a county jail. They are also required to perform 60 to 120 hours of public service work and pay a fine of $500 to $1,500. The revocation period for the offender’s driver’s license is one year.

For third time offenders, irrespective of when their last offence happened, face a prison sentence of 70 days to one year in a county jail. They must also perform 56 to 120 hours of public service work and pay a fine of $450 to $1,500. The revocation period for the offender’s driver’s license is one year. Offenders who have been convicted for more than three times within seven years are considered habitual offenders and their licenses are revoked for not less than five years.

The Point System in Colorado

In Colorado, driving under the influence of alcohol will earn you 12 points on your driving record. You risk your license being suspended if you accumulate too many points on your driving record within a fixed period of time. It is also important to note that there are several differences in the points obtained per violation.